Madrid”•Spain’s prime minister is expected to call an early general election on Friday, the third in less than four years, after his draft budget was rejected in parliament over the Catalan secession crisis.
Pedro Sanchez took power just over eight months ago after he ousted his conservative rival in a dramatic parliamentary no-confidence vote.
At the head of a fragile minority government, the 46-year-old has had to rely on the support of unlikely bedfellows in parliament, including the far-left Podemos party, Basque nationalist lawmakers and—crucially—17 Catalan separatist MPs.
On Wednesday, these groups joined right-wing lawmakers in rejecting his budget.
They withdrew their backing in protest at separatist leaders being put on trial for their role in a 2017 attempt to break Catalonia from Spain.
Budget Minister Maria Jesus Montero told Spanish radio that Sanchez would call elections on Friday and that they would take place this year, but gave no further details.
The government later said Sanchez would make a statement at 10 am (0900 GMT) Friday after a special cabinet meeting.
Sanchez’s socialists have already adopted a campaign-like tone, accusing Catalan separatists and conservatives of blocking a budget that included many social-spending measures. “‹